MX2008000556A

MX2008000556A - Oral care implement having reservoir for dispensing active agent.

Info

Publication number: MX2008000556A
Application number: MX2008000556A
Authority: MX
Inventors: Heng Cai; Thomas Boyd
Original assignee: Colgate Palmolive Co
Priority date: 2005-07-12
Filing date: 2006-07-11
Publication date: 2008-03-10
Also published as: WO2007008908A1; RU2008105042A; MX348545B; TW200722005A; KR20080031393A; AU2006268278A1; BRPI0613483A2; AU2006268278B2; CA2614916A1; CN101262796B; CA2614916C; US9398804B2; EP1903905B1; RU2374967C2; EP1903905A1; KR100993123B1; MY150638A; US20070154863A1; CN101262796A

Abstract

An oral care implement includes a reservoir containing at least one active agent. The implement has an activator for activating a delivery device, which delivers a predetermined amount of an active agent to one or more outlets. A wide variety of types of active agents can be administered at appropriate and accurate doses for therapeutic, hygienic and/or other benefits.

Description

IMPLEMENT FOR ORAL CARE THAT HAS A DEPOSIT FOR ASSET ASSENT FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to an implement for oral care that has a reservoir for supplying an active agent.

ANTECEDENTS OF THE INVENTION Many toothpastes currently available contain auxiliary agents for bleaching teeth or other hygienic purposes in addition to cleaning the teeth. Although many types of agents can be effectively incorporated into toothpastes, the ability to incorporate auxiliary components into toothpastes is limited by such factors as the compatibility of the components with the toothpaste and the possible detrimental effects that can have the components and toothpaste on each other. For example, a reactive component can be neutralized before use or it can adversely affect the shelf life, viscosity, taste or other properties of the toothpaste.

U.S. Patent No. 6,135,126 issued to Joshi, and incorporated herein by reference, discloses a toothbrush having an electrochemical cell to generate an oxidizing gas through an internal electrochemical process. During brushing, a user makes contact with a switch to activate an internal electrochemical cell which generates the oxidizing agent, such as oxygen. The oxidizing gas is expelled to the bristle portion of the brush for application to the user's oral cavity. Other gaseous products generated in the electrochemical cell such as hydrogen are directed out of the bristle portion of the brush. This arrangement has inherent disadvantages.

There is still a need for an improved oral care implement that has the ability to deliver benefit agents using an oral care implement without suffering the disadvantages and limitations known in the art.

SYNTHESIS OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to an oral care implement having a reservoir containing at least one active agent. The implement has an actuator of the delivery device, such as a switch, for activating a delivery device, such as a pump, which delivers a predetermined quantity of a substance, such as an active agent, to one or more outlets, which may be located in the vicinity of the cleaning elements of the teeth, for example, bristles and / or other parts of the implement for oral care. A wide variety of active agents can be administered in appropriate and exact doses for therapeutic, hygienic and other benefits, such as fresh breath, whitening of the teeth, reduction of the sensitivity of the teeth or the production of sensations of heat, cold or tickling.

The oral care implement can advantageously be manufactured at a relatively low cost, is easy to use and can deliver a predetermined amount of an active agent when the user activates a switch.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the more detailed description that follows of certain embodiments of the invention and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of a toothbrush according to an embodiment of the invention; Y Figure 2 schematically illustrates a replaceable cartridge according to another embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Figure 1 schematically illustrates a toothbrush 1 having a handle 10 and a head 12 containing cleaning elements to the teeth, such as bristles 16 and / or elastomeric elements (not shown) or the like. A storage location, such as a reservoir 15, is provided within the handle 10 for storing the active agent. The handle 10 or other outer part of the toothbrush 1 preferably contains a switch or actuator of the delivery device, such as a button operated by the user 22, to activate a delivery device such as a pump 18. The pump 18 may be located before or after the reservoir 15. By pressing the button 22, the pump 18 causes a predetermined amount of a medium preferably containing an active agent is delivered from the reservoir 15 through a channel 19 leading to a plurality of outlets 20. As shown in Figure 1, the outlets 20 can be located on the surface of the head 12 between or in the vicinity of the bristles 16. Alternatively, the outlets 20 may be located on other parts of the head 12, of the handle 10 or elsewhere on the toothbrush 1. Alternatively, the active agent may be delivered through the bristles 16 as if the bristles comprised hollow lumens or the like. The active agent can also be delivered simultaneously through the outlets 20 located in different parts of the toothbrush 1, for example to assist in the application of the active agent to different areas of the mouth. Even though a plurality of outputs 20 is illustrated, it is contemplated that a single output may be used.

The switch for activating the pump 18 can be a button 22, as illustrated in Figure 1 or it can be another type of switch such as a user-activated lever switch or a rotary dial. Pressing the button 22 preferably activates a time measurement circuit which causes the pump 18 to operate by a range necessary to pump a predetermined amount of the medium containing the active agent from the reservoir 15 and through the outlets 20. The pump it has a power source, such as a battery (not shown). The time measurement circuit causes the pump 18 to operate for a time interval which may either be pre-set or may be adjustable, such as a rotation marker activated by the user, which may vary depending on the active agent and the desired delivery rate. Even when an external switch 22 has been described, it will be appreciated that the internal switch operated by the use which activates the delivery device with the mechanical brushing action is also contemplated.

The medium containing the active agent can be incorporated into a sealed reservoir during the manufacture of the toothbrush 1, in which case the toothbrush 1 can be placed after the supply of active agent has been exhausted. Alternatively, the reservoir 15 can be filled through an inlet (not shown) or it can be replaced, for example by inserting a replaceable cartridge into a recess in the toothbrush. Figure 2 illustrates schematically an example of a replaceable cartridge 30. The cartridge may have a sharp element 35 which penetrates a membrane in the recess to allow the medium to flow from the cartridge 30 into the channel 19. The cartridge 30 may be loaded spring-loaded to remain in place after insertion into the recess, and may have a seal to prevent an unwanted run-off of the active agent. The cartridge 30 may be disposable or refillable. Other methods for providing a refillable and / or replaceable cartridge or the like are contemplated.

Optionally, a user activated switch, such as a marker (not shown) can have multiple placements to select one of several active agents. For example, the marker may have a first placement for the bleach / oxidant treatment, a second placement for the breath freshening treatment and a third placement for the antimicrobial treatment. The marking arrangement instructs the timing circuit to activate the pump 18 for an appropriate time interval for the selected active agent.

In one embodiment, a case comprises a toothbrush and at least one cartridge containing an active agent. A user can select between multiple cartridges for a desired treatment. If the active agents have different application ranges, the toothbrush may be provided with a marker as previously described, to allow the user to select the appropriate placement. Similarly, a single cartridge may be preloaded with multiple active agents that can be selectively accessed and delivered by a switch or the like. The case may also include a dentifrice if desired.

The predetermined amount can be selected appropriately to deliver an adequate dose of the asset for your purpose tried. The amount can be controlled by controlling the duration for which the pump 18 operates after the button 22 is depressed. The duration of the assortment will depend on the desired dose and the medium flow rate, and typically varies from about from 1 second to 5 minutes, frequently from about 5 seconds to about 2 minutes, and preferably ranges from about 10 seconds to 30 seconds. The measurement of assortment action time can also be direct after the button 22 is pressed or can be programmed with a delay as desired.

Any suitable pump can be used to deliver the medium from the reservoir 15 to the outlets 20. Suitable devices are commercially available such as a micro cell or gas generator cell technology available from Microlin Technology / Ceramatec Inc. Also referenced to the patents of the United States of America numbers 6,135,126; 6,575,961; 6,045,055; 5,427,870 and 5,567,287 and to the published application of the United States of America number 2005/0023371 Al, the descriptions of which are incorporated herein by reference as alternative pump arrangements that can be used in the toothbrush. The pump can deliver the medium through a variety of different actions that are mechanical, electrical, chemical or a combination thereof, depending on the structure of the bomb. For example, the gas generating cell available from Microlin Technology employs a piston-cylinder arrangement.

Advantageously, the active agent itself can be contained in the reservoir 15. In other words, it is not necessary to generate the active agent internally or in place. This simplifies the construction of the toothbrush and avoids the need to handle any by-products associated with the synthesis of the active agent. Alternatively, an agent in a warehouse can be delivered through a delivery device to another warehouse where it is "activated", where it is delivered through another delivery device to one or more outlets. This type of delivery system, employing multiple connections that are direct or indirect, is also contemplated within the scope of the present invention.

In Figure 1, a toothbrush 1 is shown schematically having a head 12, the bristles 16 and a handle 10. It should be understood that any configuration of bristles and any handle configuration can be used, and the present invention should not be seen as being limited to any particular configuration. The outlet or outlets 20 are preferably located in the region of bristles on the bristle side of the head of the toothbrush, for example between or spaced with the bristles 16. Alternatively, the outlets 20 may be located on the side of the head or placed on the bristles, or on the lateral edges of the head, or on a combination of the sides as desired. Alternatively, the outlets 20 may be located on one side of the head or in the head region but not currently on the head.

The toothbrush 1 can be used by applying the toothpaste to the bristles 16 and brushing the teeth in a conventional manner. A predetermined amount of the active agent is administered by activating the switch, for example the depression button 20 to activate the pump 18 which causes the medium containing the active agent to be delivered through the outputs 20. The switch instructions to the timing circuit to activate the pump 18 for a predetermined time, which in turn delivers the active agent at a predetermined dose through the outlets 20. The active agent is then applied to the teeth using the bristles 16 The active agent can be administered before, during or after brushing.

Non-limiting examples of the active agents which may be used include the antibacterial agents, such as chlorhexidine, cetyl pyridinium chloride, triclosan, zinc salts and magnolia extract; the agents against restraint, such as ethyl lauroyl arginine HCl; oxidizing or bleaching agents, such as hydrogen peroxide, urea peroxide, sodium percarbonate and PVP-H202; agents against the cavity, such as sodium fluoride, sodium monofluorophosphate, stannous fluoride, supercharged fluoride delivery ingredients (such as dicalcium phosphate dihydrate and others described in US Pat. America number 5,785,956); the ingredients for the sensitivity of the teeth, such as KN03, stannous fluoride, sodium silicate, and bioactive glass (as described in US Pat. No. 6,338,751); the assets for gum health including those that reduce the trajectories of inflammation and / or interference in bacterial processes which produce inflammatory stimuli such as Univestin (from Unigen Pharma), bachalin, polyphenols, ethyl pyruvate, tea extracts green, extracts of rosemary and other herbs, and guanidinoethyl disulfide; nutritional-type ingredients, such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids, vitamin E, and folic acid; the ingredients against stains or tartar control, including phosphate salts, polyvinylphosphonic acid, PVM / MA copolymer, enzymes such as those used for plaque disruption; sensible ingredients such as those that provide cooling (such as menthol), tickling or heat sensations (such as capsaicin or capsicum oil); flavors flavor ingredients; dyes or other aesthetic agents; and combinations thereof. Examples of flavor and flavor ingredients include essential oils, menthol, carbonate and anethole, and various flavoring aldehydes, esters and alcohols. Examples of essential oils include oils of spearmint, spearmint, pyrol, sassafras, clove, sage, eucalyptus, marjoram, cinnamon, lemon, lime, grapefruit and orange.

The active agent and / or its medium can be selected to supplement the toothpaste formula, such as by coordinating the flavors, colors, aesthetics or active ingredients. A flavor can be administered to create a gradual taste change during brushing, which is not currently possible using the toothbrush alone. The taste changes described here along with other changes in sensation can also be used as a signal for the indication that an effective brushing routine has been completed. A colorant can be added to create a color change during use. The flavor and / or a color can also be used to indicate another benefit such as bleaching of the teeth or an antibacterial action.

The active agent may be compatible with the toothpaste or may be unstable and / or react with the typical toothpaste ingredients. The examples do not Limitations of the components which tend to be unstable and / or reactive with typical toothpaste ingredients include hydrogen peroxide, sodium fluoride (reacts with zinc or calcium salts), various calcium salts (react with sodium fluoride), and cationic ingredients, such as cetyl pyridinium chloride, chlorhexidine, and ethyl lauryl arginine HCl (reacts with SLS, other anionic ingredients and silica abrasives). The active agent can also be a tooth cleaning agent to improve the overall efficiency of brushing. Such cleaning agents to the teeth may or may not be compatible with the toothpaste ingredients.

The active agent can be provided in any suitable vehicle, such as an aqueous solution or a non-aqueous solution or an oil or in the form of gel or paste or an emulsion or a multiple emulsion or a liquid crystal gel. The vehicle can have a variety of different visual aesthetics including a transparent solution or gel or an opaque or gel solution. Non-limiting examples of vehicles include water, monohydric alcohols such as ethanol, poly (ethylene oxides) such as polyethylene glycols such as PEG 2M, 5M, 7M, 14M, 23M, 45M, and 90M available from Union Carbide, carboxymethylene polymers such as Carbopol® 934 and 974 available from B.F. Goodrich, and combinations thereof. The selection of a suitable vehicle will be evident for those skilled in the art depending on such factors as the properties of the active agent and the desired properties of the medium such as viscosity. Examples of teeth whitening compositions are described in U.S. Patent Nos. 6,770,266 and 6,669,930, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

The predetermined amount of the medium assortment can vary over a wide range depending on such factors as the identity of the active agent and its concentration in the medium. The assorted amount usually varies from about 1 to about 100 μL per use, more usually from about 5 to about 50 μL. For example, the pump 18 can be configured to deliver 10 μL of 20% cetylpyridinium chloride gel over a period of 30 seconds, for example for the application during the first 30 seconds of brushing the teeth. One advantage of the delivery is that the ingredients incompatible with the toothpaste are exposed to the toothpaste as little as possible.

The reservoir may contain an amount of the active agent medium intended for a single use or a number of small uses or may facilitate repeated use on an extended-time polymer, for example up to several months or several years (if it was used with a toothbrush having a replaceable head for example). The size of the reservoir can be selected to be compatible with the desired overall dimensions of the toothbrush 1 as well as such factors as the stability of the active agent and the amount of the medium administered during each application.

The supply of active agent in the reservoir 15 is preferably free or essentially free of components which are incompatible with the active agent and / or the medium containing the active agent, such as the incompatible toothpaste components as previously identified. In the preferred practice of the invention, the reservoir 15 is free or essentially free of toothpaste, since the toothpaste is applied separately to the bristles 16 by the user. Alternatively as noted above, an active agent can be originally retained in a deposit and then transferred to another deposit when it is activated just prior to delivery, which may be useful under certain conditions or circumstances.

The toothbrush 1 can be equipped with a light source, such as ultraviolet (UV) or infrared light (GO) . The light source can be used to improve the cleaning or whitening of the teeth by themselves and / or by activating the active agent and / or the ingredients in the toothpaste. teeth. The toothbrush 1 may have a secondary switch (not shown) to activate the light source. An example of a toothbrush having an ultraviolet light source for activating a photoactivated material for cleaning teeth is described in United States of America patent number 6,343,400 issued to Massholder et al. The back part of the toothbrush 1 can be equipped with a special surface for polishing the teeth with toothpaste (silica). Non-limiting examples of such a surface include rubber, elastomer, woven cloth or wool.

The toothbrush 1 can optionally be provided with compartments and / or access panels to access the various components, such as the power source and the reservoir. The power source can, for example, be a replaceable battery or one that can be recharged as is known.

The following examples are provided for illustrative purposes only and should not be considered as limiting the scope of the present invention.

Example 1 Table I illustrates a cetylpyridinium chloride concentrate that is stocked from a toothbrush reservoir during brushing as an antibacterial agent.

TABLE I Example 2 Table II shows a solution of hydrogen peroxide which is dispensed from a toothbrush deposit during brushing as a bleach improver.

TABLE II Example 3 Table III illustrates a hydrogen peroxide gel which is stocked from a toothbrush reservoir during brushing as a bleaching liquid. The gel can also be applied after brushing to whiten the teeth.

TABLE III Example 4 Table IV shows a solution of phosphoric acid which is supplied from a toothbrush reservoir during brushing as a bleaching liquid. The solution has a pH of around 4.0.

TABLE IV Example 5 Table V illustrates another hydrogen peroxide solution that is dispensed from a toothbrush reservoir during brushing as a bleach improver.

The composition can alternatively be applied to the teeth after brushing as a bleaching agent.

TABLE V Example 6 Alternate liquid bleach gels are prepared by modifying the base formula of Example 5 by adding either (1) from 2 to 5% by weight of polyethylene powder (PE) having an average particle size of 6 to 8 microns.; (2) from 1 to 5% by weight of polytetrafluoroethylene powder (PTFE) having a particle size of 5 to 6 microns; (3) from 0.8 to 2.5% by weight of powder of polypropylene (PP) having a particle size of 4 to 50 microns; (4) from 2 to 5% by weight of polyethylene powder and 0.11 to 0.4% by weight of titanium dioxide powder having a particle size of 10 to 45 microns. Examples of gels having the polymer and / or the inorganic titanium powders incorporated in the base formula are shown in Tables VI and VII.

TABLE VI TABLE VII Example 7 Table VIII shows another example composition of a liquid bleaching gel that is stocked from a toothbrush reservoir during brushing as described herein.

TABLE VIII Example 8 The example of Table IX shows the composition of a breath protection gel that is dispensed from a toothbrush reservoir as described herein.

TABLE IX

Claims

R E I V I N D I C A C I O N S

1. An oral care implement comprising a head, a reservoir containing an active agent, at least one outlet, a delivery device for delivering a predetermined amount of the active agent and an activator of the delivery device.

2. The implement for oral care as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that the head includes the cleaning elements of soft tissue and teeth and wherein at least one outlet comprises a plurality of outlets in the vicinity of the teeth. teeth and soft tissue cleaning elements.

3. The implement for oral care as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that the active agent is selected from the group consisting of antibacterial agents; agents against inflammation; agents against restraint; oxidizing or bleaching agents; agents against the cavities, fluoride delivery ingredients; ingredients for the sensitivity of the teeth; assets for the health of the gums; nutritional ingredients; ingredients against stains or tartar control; enzymes; sensible ingredients; and flavor ingredients or flavors; and surface conditioning agents.

4. The implement for oral care as claimed in clause 3, characterized in that the active agent is essentially free of a dentifrice.

5. The implement for oral care as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that the active agent is selected from the group consisting of chlorhexidine, cetyl pyridinium chloride, triclosan, zinc salts, magnolia extract, rosemary extract, tea green, grape, herbal extracts, hydrogen peroxide, urea peroxide, sodium percarbonate, PVP-H202, bachalin, polyphenols, ethyl pyruvate, guanidinoethyl disulfide; vitamins, minerals, amino acids, vitamin E, folic acid, phosphate salts, polyvinylphosphonic acid, menthol, carbona, anethole, green mind extracts, spearmint, pyrolysis, sassafras, clove, sage, eucalyptus, marjoram, cinnamon, lemon, lime , grapefruit, orange, fluoride salts, stannous salts, potassium nitrate, sodium silicate, bioactive glass and arginine salts.

6. The implement for oral care as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that the activator comprises an adjustable switch for selecting one of a plurality of active agent treatments.

7. The implement for oral care as claimed in clause 6, characterized in that the adjustable switch is a marker.

8. The implement for oral care as claimed in clause 7, characterized in that the deposit also comprises a plurality of active agents that can be selectively delivered to at least one outlet by the marker.

9. The implement for oral care as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that the device includes a replaceable cartridge.

10. The implement for oral care as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that the deposit also comprises a plurality of active agents that can be selectively delivered to at least one outlet.

11. The implement for oral care as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that it also comprises a light source and a secondary switch to activate the light source.

12. The implement for oral care as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that the delivery device comprises a pump.

13. A method for administering an active agent using an oral care implement having a head containing cleaning elements to the teeth such as a reservoir containing an active agent, at least one outlet for supplying the active agent, a delivery device to deliver a predetermined quantity of the active agent from the deposit to at least one outlet and an activator to activate the delivery device, the method comprises: activating the activator on the implement for oral care to make the delivery device deliver the activating agent from the reservoir through at least one exit; Y Apply the active agent to the oral cavity.

14. The method as claimed in clause 13, characterized in that the active agent is applied to the oral cavity before brushing.

15. The method as claimed in clause 13, characterized in that the active agent is applied to the oral cavity during brushing.

16. The method as claimed in clause 13, characterized in that the active agent is applied to the oral cavity after brushing.

17. The method as claimed in clause 13, characterized in that the active agent is selected from the group consisting of antibacterial agents; agents against inflammation; agents against restraint; oxidizing or bleaching agents; agents against the cavities, fluoride delivery ingredients; ingredients for the sensitivity of the teeth; assets for the health of the gums; nutritional ingredients; ingredients against stains or tartar control; enzymes; sensible ingredients; and flavor ingredients or flavors; and surface conditioning agents.

18. The method as claimed in clause 13, characterized in that the active agent is selected from the group consisting of chlorhexidine, cetyl pyridinium chloride, triclosan, zinc salts, magnolia extract, rosemary extract, green tea, grape, Herbal extracts, hydrogen peroxide, urea peroxide, percarbonate sodium, PVP-H202, bachalin, polyphenols, ethyl pyruvate, guanidinoethyl disulfide; vitamins, minerals, amino acids, vitamin E, folic acid, phosphate salts, polyvinylphosphonic acid, menthol, carbona, anethole, green mind extracts, spearmint, pyrolysis, sassafras, clove, sage, eucalyptus, marjoram, cinnamon, lemon, lime , grapefruit, orange, fluoride salts, stannous salts, potassium nitrate, sodium silicate, bioactive glass and arginine salts.

19. The method as claimed in clause 17, characterized in that the active agent is essentially free of dentifrice.

20. The method as claimed in clause 13, characterized in that it further comprises the step of providing a plurality of active agents in the tank.

21. The method as claimed in clause 20, characterized in that it also comprises the step of selecting one of a plurality of active agents to be delivered.

22. The method as claimed in clause 20, characterized in that it further comprises the step of supplying the active agent for a predetermined time that varies by the active agent that is being supplied.

23. The method as claimed in clause 13, characterized in that it also comprises the step of dispensing the active agent for a predetermined time.

24. The method as claimed in clause 23, characterized in that the predetermined time varies by the active agent that is being supplied.

25. The method as claimed in clause 13, characterized in that the delivery device comprises a pump.

26. A case for oral care that includes: a toothbrush including a delivery device for delivering a predetermined amount of an active agent to at least one outlet, and an activator for activating the delivery device; Y one or more deposits, each containing one or more active agents.

27. The oral care kit as claimed in clause 26, characterized in that the Activator is an adjustable switch for selecting one of a plurality of active agent treatments.

28. The oral care kit as claimed in clause 26, characterized in that the reservoir is a disposable cartridge.

29. The oral care kit as claimed in clause 26, characterized in that the reservoir is a cartridge that can be refilled.

30. The oral care kit as claimed in clause 26, characterized in that it also comprises a plurality of reservoirs that include different active agents.

31. The oral care kit as claimed in clause 26, characterized in that the active agent is essentially free of a dentifrice. SUMMARY An oral care implement that includes a reservoir that contains at least one active agent, the implement has an activator to activate a delivery device, which delivers a predetermined amount of an active agent to one or more outlets. A wide variety of types of active agents can be administered in appropriate and exact doses for therapeutic, hygienic and other benefits.